Portable client devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, fitness monitors, and household internet of things (IoT) devices are providing increasing levels of functionality to support modern life. However, taking full advantage of the functionality provided by such devices often require that these devices be connected to a broadband connection. While cellular connections offer the advantage of a greater range of coverage, the cost of mobile broadband makes connecting such devices to a WiFi or wireless local area network (WLAN) the only real alternative for users seeking to stream multimedia content through such devices.
However, WiFi networks in residential and commercial environments often require users to enter a wireless key or password to access such a network. These wireless keys are either simple and insecure or complex and are easily forgotten and difficult to enter properly into the device. Moreover, a proprietor of a WiFi network might be required to change such keys or passwords periodically to prevent abuse or unauthorized usage.
The need to secure one's WiFi network must be balanced with the desire for the proprietor of such a network to share the network with friends, guests, or patrons. For example, a host of a vacation home might need to share the vacation home's WiFi network with guests of the vacation home for the duration of their stay. Additionally, a café owner might want to share the café's WiFi network with the café's regular patrons for a limited period of time. In these situations, granting such guests or customers with the WiFi network's actual wireless key or password might be difficult or undesirable.
Therefore, a solution is needed for a WiFi access management system to conveniently, securely and effectively control access to one's WiFi network for one's friends, guests, or patrons. In addition, such a solution should be compatible with different types of portable client devices. Moreover, such a solution should also allow third parties to take advantage of the system's benefits and integrate such benefits into their services or platforms.